OPPO has added a new member to its R1 smartphone series, unveiling the new and improved R1C model with a sapphire glass back.
The new OPPO R1C is an updated version of the existing R1S and comes with some upgraded specifications on several fronts.
Based on Android 4.4 KitKat, the OPPO R1C still retains some of the specifications of the R1S model, including the 5-inch HD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, 16GB of internal storage capacity, 13-megapixel rear camera, and 5-megapixel front shooter.
The new and improved OPPO R1C, however, features a stylish sapphire glass panel on its rear, making it almost like a mirror, and it also comes with 4G LTE connectivity, unlike the R1S model.
Under the hood, the R1C smartphone packs a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, paired with 2GB of RAM. The R1S, meanwhile, came with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.6GHz and paired with only 1GB of RAM.
Moreover, the 13-megapixel rear camera on the R1C uses a Sony IMX214 sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, not the CMOS sensor in R1S. Storage is expandable via microSD, and the R1C also packs a slightly more powerful 2,420 mAh battery instead of the 2,410 unit found on the R1S. The handset also comes with dual-SIM support, and its 4G connectivity will work with all three major LTE networks in China.
As the spec sheet suggests, the OPPO R1C is a mid-range smartphone with nothing too spectacular in terms of hardware specifications. What sets it apart from the crowd, however, is its neat design with sapphire glass. This panel is highly reflective, but it also scratch- and shatter-resistant, unlike other glass panels found on other phones.
The new OPPO R1C will be available in blue and white back versions and will start shipping on Jan. 20 in China. In terms of pricing, the handset will retail for CNY 2,499, i.e. roughly $400. The OPPO R1C is now available for pre-order from the company's online store at this link. It remains unclear at this point just when or if the smartphone will launch outside of China, but we'll keep you up to date as soon as OPPO offers more information in this regards.
